Safety device



Aug. 19 1924. 1,505,285

- R. F. PADEN SAFETY DEVICE Filed Sept. 17. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l [771 677 for:

aert E Pade Aug; 19, 1924. 1,505,285

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Aug. g 9240 R. F. PADEN 1 SAFETY DEVICE Filed Sept. 17. 1923 s Shuts-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES ROBERT F. IPADEN, or GLENDALE, 'mssovm.

,sAFE'rY DEVICE.

Application filediseptember 17, 1923. seriaino; 663,113.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT F. PADEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glendale, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Safety Devices, 'of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety devices, and has more particularly to do with such appliances for shapers or similar woodworking machines having rotating cutters. It has for its objects to produce a simple and eflicient guard normally surrounding the cutter and extending close to the table of the machine so as to'protect the hands of the operator against accidental injury, and being constructed and arranged so as to be automatically lifted clear ofthe cutter by the work coming in contact with it. A further object is to produce an appliance of this character which will not. obstruct the view of the cutter or otherwise interfere with the manipulation of the work by the operator. A still further object is to'produce a device which is readily install-ed'on an ordinary machine without necessitating any material alteration to either the device or the machine. Other objects and advantages to be attained will more fully, appear in the following description. 1

The invention consists in the novel con struction and in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and afterwards pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. V In the accompanying drawings illustrating a practical embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, the guard cylinder beingshown tilted away from working relation to the cutter;

Figure 2 is a similar view, partly, in section, showing the guard cylinder set in normal position in working relation about the cutter; and

Figure 3 is a view at right angles to those of Figures 1 and 2, showing the work being brought into contact with the guard cylinder and illustrating the action of the device under that condition. j I

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a line representing the plane ofthe top face of the work table of anordinary shaper or similar wood-working machine. The numeral 2 designates the, rotary cutter which is shown conventionally and, obviously, in

practice, is shaped 'accordingto the desired contour or form of'the work to be accomplished. This cutter, in practice, is usually rotated at a very high speed,'-varying in different cases, from approximately 3600 to 7 200 revolutions per minute, it being driven from suitable power mechanism, not shown in the drawings, but'well' known in the art,

from beneath the table.

The numeral '3 designates a bracket or supporting standard which is secured on the upper face of the work table by screws or bolts, as at 4. Hinged on the standard 3, as at 5, isan extension member ,6 having an angular, arm 7 [On the end of the arm 7 is a depending extension 8 having a bearing support 9 at its end and provided with a bore for the passage of a shaft or spindle 10 therethrough.

Resting on the support 9 is a collar 11 of; an ordinary ball orother suitable antifriction bearing, the other collar 12 of which is keyed or otherwisemade fast to the shaft 10, while theupper end portion of the shaft is journalled in a suitablebearing 13 on the arm 7. Y

' On the lower end, portion of the shaft 10 is a tubular extension lthaving a slot-andpin connection 15 therewith, whereby the shaft and said extension are rotatable together, but are capable of limited endwise movement independent ofea-ch other.

The extension 1 1 is closed solidly at its lower end, and interposed between said closed endv of 'saidextension and the end of the shaft 10. is a spring 16; constantly under compression and exerting a pressure tending to move saidextension off the shaft but being limited by; said slot-and-p-in' connection 15. i I The lower end portion of the member 14 isreduced in diameter, as @1117, and it is there provided with a cross' pin 18, said reduced portion 17 being so provided for the purpose of entering an; axial socket 19 in the upper end portion "of a stud "or stub- Fixed tight on theshaft 10, between, the" bearings 12- and 13, is a worm scre m t shown in detail in the drawing, but

fectly obvious, i which meshes with and drives, in the usual way, a worm gear 22 fixed tight on a cross shaft 23 between pair of bearings 24, which latter are sup ported on arms 25 depending from the arm 7.

The cross shaft 23 is further ournalled at one end in a bearing 26 on an arm 27 depending from said arm 7, and it has a small bevel ed pinion or miter gear 28 fixed tight thereon and meshing with a like pinion or gear 29 fast on the upper end of a stub shaft which is j ournalled, as at 30, in an extension of the arm 27, and having a small spur gear or pinion 31 fixed on its lower end. The pinion 31 is in mesh with a large gear 32 having an axial bore through which the shaft 10 passes loosely, while fixed concentrically on said gear 32 is a hollow cyl inder 33 having a closed upper end or head 34 which, of course, is provided with an axial opening affording clearance similar to that ofthe gear 32 for the shaft 10 which passes therethr ough, the lower end of the cylinder being open. I

Interposed between the head 34 of the cylinder 33 and a pair of jam nuts 35, 36, on the shaft 10, is a suitable antifriction bearing 37 supporting the said joined gear and cylinder, and permitting rotation thereof freely and independently of the shaft. A fan comprising theblades 38, may or may not be clamped fast on the shaft 10 between the jam nuts 35, 36, as desired.

Sleeved loosely on the cylinder 331's a second cylinder 39 constituting the guard proper and being preferably constructed of reticular material or open mesh wire fabric. As shown, this cylinder may be conveniently constructed as comprising companion inner and outer rings 40, 4 1, and 42, 43, respectively at. top and bottom, and having clamped between the respective pairs of rings the wire fabric 44flof rather large mesh, but small enough to prevent the entrance of an operators fingers between the wires. The structure may be suitably braced, if desired, by vertical stays 45 con- ,nectingthe upper and lower inner rings 40 and 42 at intervals, while on the circumference of the cylinder vertical blades or wings 46 are preferably provided although not absolutely necessary. So, too, in some cases, the wings may be arranged spirally, if desired. j

In the cylinder 33 are a series of like cam slots 47, preferably three ofthem, while on the cylinder 39 are rollers 48 which are disposed inwardly so as to work in said cam slots. 7

At intervals apart and with sufficient looseness to permit them to revolve freely, are a seriesof ball s49, held in place in oppositely disposed, inwardly flaring, apertures in the upper inner and outer rings v40, 41, said balls holding the two cylinders spaced apart concentrically and serving as antifriction bearings between them. By this arrangement, the cylinder 39 will, of its own weight, drop to its lowermost position which is limited by the rollers 48 being arrested at the lower ends of the respective cam slots 47 in the cylinder 33, and in this position the lower end of the cylinder 39 should just clear the top face of the work table. I

Normally, when the cutter 2 is rotating, the shaft 10, which is keyed to the shaft 20 by the coupling member or extension 14, is rotated in the same direction and at the same speed as the cutter, while at the same time the cylinder 33 is also rotated in the same direct-ion, but at a much slower speed, due to the arrangement of the reducing gears. It is noted in this connection, that it has been found practical and safe to rotate the cylinder at a speed of approximately sixty revolutions per minute more or less. However, no given speed need be here stated, except to say that the'speed ofthe guard cylinder should be slow enough so as to minimize the liability of injuring any one who might come in contact with it.

In operation, when the work is moved on the table into contact with the cylinder 39 it acts as a brake thereon. Consequently, the cylinder momentarily stops rotating, while the cylinder 33 which is geared with the shaft 10,, continues, of course, to rotate, the action of the cam slots 47 on the rollers 48 being to elevate the cylinder 39, and such action continues until the cylinder 39 has reached a height equal to the thickness of the work. The work then slides under the cylinder.

During the time the work is under the cylinder 39 the latter, of course, again rotates with the cylinder 33, and in doing so offers no appreciable resistance to interfere with the manipulation of the work, because should the cylinder39 tend to lag in its rotation due to any roughness or unevenness on the face of the work it will at the same time start to rise on the cylinder v33 owing to the cam slot and roller arrangement, yet it will immediately drop back upon the Work just as soon as a relatively smooth surface presents itself.

lVhen the work is withdrawn from under lllt) llO the cylinder 39,the latter, by its own weight and also by the force of rotation of the cylinder 33, quickly drops back to its nor mal position about the cutter andinto close proximity to the work table. v

It is noted that by having the cylinder 39 reticular, the operator can easily seethe outter and he is thereby enabled to manipulate drance.

It may be here also noted that the cylinder 33 1s, of course, supported at an elevahis work without any disadvantage or hin-' tion so that its lower edge is in a plane sufliciently high above the work table to clear a piece of work of a given maximum thickness. A

In some, but not necessarily all cases, the,

fan blades 38 may be provided on the shaft 10, as shown, so as to prevent an accumulation of dust or cuttings within the cylinders. In such cases, the cylinder 33, of course, affords a guard which protects the operator against accidental injury from the fan as well as the cutter.

The device being mounted on a hinged support, it is readily tilted out of the way as shown in Figure 1 when it is necessary to have free access to the cutter for changes or adjustments, by merely removing a pin 50 (see Figure 2) from registering apertures 51, 52, (see Figure 1) provided respectively in the members 3 and 6 of the supporting standard.

What is claimed is: c

1. A guard of the character described,

comprising a rotatable carrier, a cylinder j movably supported on said carrier and normally rotatable therewith, said carrier and said cylinder having a working engagement whereby, when resistance is brought against the cylinder during rotation, the carrier is free to continue rotating while the cylinder lags and the cylinder is thereby caused to move upward on said carrier.

2. A guard of the character described,

-the same as claimed in claim 1, the cylinder being reticular.

3. A guard of the character described, comprising a rotatable carrier cylinder supported at a definite elevation above the work table, said cylinder having cam slots therein, a guard cylinder having rollers working in the cam slots of said carrier cylinder whereby said guard cylinder is movably supported by said carrier cylinder and normally rotatable therewith, but is movable upward screw-wise on said carrier cylinder when subjected to braking resistance. I

4. A guard of the character described, the same as claimed in claim 3, the guard cylinder being reticular.

5. In a guard of the characterdescribed, in combination with a work table and a cutter rotating thereon, of a supporting.

spindle but detached therefrom, a reducing gear connection between said spindle and said carrier cylinderwhereby thelatter is driven by the former but at a slower speed, a guard cylinder movably supported on said carrier cylinder and normally rotatable therewith, said two mentioned cylinders having a working engagement whereby, when said guard cylinder is subjected to braking resistance, it is caused to move upward screw-wise on said carrier cylinder.

6. A guard of the character described, the same as claimed in claim 5, the guard cylinder being reticular.

7. In a guard of the character described, in combination with a work table and a cutter rotating thereon, said cutter having a spindle extending upwardly axially therefrom, of a supporting standard on said table adj acentto said cutter, said standard having a hinged'upper portion overhanging said cutter, a vertical spindle on said overhanging portion of said standard-and having a coupling member at its lower end, said coupling member and said spindle of said cut ter being arranged at their meeting ends for releasable interlocking engagement with each other, a carrier cylinder rotatably supported on said overhanging portion of said standard concentrically with respect to said spindle thereon but detached therefrom, a reducing gear connection between said cylinder and said spindle whereby the former is driven by the latter but at a slower speed, a'guard'cylinder movably supported on said carrier cylinder and normally rotatable. therewith, said two mentioned cylinders having a workingengagement whereby, when said guard cylinder is subjected tobraking resistance, it is caused to move upward screw-wise onsaid carrier cylinder.

8. A guard of the character described, the sameas claimed in claim 7, the guard cylinder being reticular.

ROBERT F. PADEN. 

